CANCELLING OUR DELTA AWARD TRAVEL TO RIO DE JANIERO

Last August we found good award flight availability from Rio De Janiero (GRU) back home to OKC for early June 2018. 75k miles plus $58 in fees for good flights in DeltaOne class with availability for 4 people. We booked it in August. Since then a few things have changed and we decided not to visit Brazil.

I have needed to cancel for a while but also didn’t want to pay the $150 redeposit fee per person to get out miles back. If there is a significant itinerary change, you can typically get that fee waived. It pays to wait untill close to the last minute to see what may change. Also if you are a diamond or platinum member on Delta, that fee is waived. Well I have already qualified for Gold next year, but wont get the additional miles needed for Platinum in the next few weeks. However we did have some itinerary changes I decided to call the Delta help desk. When I logged into my account it told me I had some flight changes and needed to confirm the changes are acceptable or call them for more information. I thought yes, I can get out of the $600.

I wish I could have seen the reps face on the phone as he thought I must have been crazy. It went something like this:

ME- There was a schedule change and I would like to cancel my award ticket.

DELTA- I’m sorry to hear that. Let me look at the routing and see what we can do to help you out…. I don’t see what the change is though, can you tell me what the change is?

ME- when I login it says there was a change so I just want to cancel.

DELTA- Do you know what the change is.

ME- I don’t do well with change, so please cancel.

DELTA- Oh I see now, Your flight pattern changed and you actually get in 2 minutes early.